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Improvement of Personalized Lung Cancer Care Through Digital Connection and Patient Participation (DigiNet)

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Stage IV
Interventions
Other: DigiNet intervention
Registration Number
NCT05818449
Lead Sponsor
University of Cologne
Brief Summary

The aim of the DigiNet project is to improve the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Germany. The project promotes the transfer of the latest scientific knowledge into standard care. The DigiNet project is based on the established precision medicine program, the National Network Genomic Medicine Lung Cancer (nNGM) in Germany, whereby every patient receives molecular diagnostics and personalized therapy information after the initial diagnosis. Within the framework of the DigiNet project, specialized academic centers will be digitally connected with practitioners via a shared project database. Furthermore, a committee of experts will monitor the course of treatment and will advise the practitioners in case of critical conditions. Additionally, patient-reported outcomes will be incorporated into the treatment.

Detailed Description

The aim of the DigiNet project is to prospectively evaluate a precision medicine program for lung cancer and to improve personalized care of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through a collaboration of specialized academic centers with routine care providers (hospitals, oncology practices). The use of targeted therapies will be regularly monitored and guided through a shared digital database. Patients with an initial diagnosis of stage IV NSCLC in the study regions (study region east: Berlin and Saxony; study region west: North Rhine-Westphalia) are included. DigiNet builds on the foundations and structures of the National Network Genomic Medicine Lung Cancer (nNGM) in Germany, which provides molecular diagnostics and treatment information to the participating physicians based on the latest evidence.

Within the framework of DigiNet, patients are regularly consulted by the study practitioners and the clinical data is documented in a structured manner in a central project database. Through the digital collaboration of the nNGM network centers via the shared project database with the practitioners in routine care, continuous monitoring of the course of treatment and, in the case of critical conditions, treatment guidance by an expert committee advising the practitioner is provided. In addition, the patients routinely assess the quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-LC29, EQ-5D), as well as anxiety and depression (PHQ-4). The results of these patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are incorporated into the treatment by the practitioners (patient-centered treatment approach).

The evaluation of the project is structured into different core domains: An evaluation of clinical endpoints, process parameters (implementation of the intervention), and health economic evaluations will be conducted. The acceptance and potential for improvement of the project will be assessed through qualitative interviews with the stakeholders. Data from the state cancer registries of the study regions will be incorporated to generate a population-based comparative cohort for the evaluation of the main research questions of DigiNet, thereby representing patients receiving routine care in Germany.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
850
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC, stage IV
  • Age > 18 years
  • Life expectancy at least 4 weeks (initial assessment at inclusion in nNGM and confirmation at baseline (implementation of treatment decision))
Exclusion Criteria
  • Missing informed consent
  • Illnesses and behaviors that impair compliance (e.g., dementia, addictive disorders)
  • Severely impaired general physical condition that no longer permits therapy for lung cancer

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
DigiNet groupDigiNet interventionThe intervention group will receive the DigiNet intervention.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Overall Survival (OS)up to 34 months

Overall Survival (OS) will be assessed in months.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Frequency of patients' completing the PROsup to 34 months

Assessing the frequency of patients' completing the patient-reported outcomes (PRO) via the internet portal

Progression-Free Survival (PFS)up to 34 months

Progression-Free Survival (PFS) will be assessed in months.

Hospitalization rateup to 34 months

Frequency of hospital stays will be assessed using health insurance data.

Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30)up to 34 months

Quality of Life (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Core Questionnaire, EORTC QLQ-C30) will be assessed in absolute values and change over time. Each item is rated on a response scale 1 = "not at all" to 4 = "very much" with exception of the last two items, which assess overall health and quality of life on a scale from 1 = "very poor" to 7 = "excellent". All EORTC QLQ-C30 scale scores range from 0 to 100, whereby higher scores on a functional scale indicate a high level of functioning, whereas higher scores on a symptom scale/symptom item indicate greater symptom burden.

Symptoms of anxiety (GAD-2)up to 34 months

Symptoms of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-2, GAD-2) will be assessed in absolute values and change over time. Each item is rated on a response scale 0 = "not at all" to 3 = "nearly every day" and refer to the time frame "during the past two weeks". Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden.

Symptoms of depression (PHQ-2)up to 34 months

Symptoms of depression (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2) will be assessed in absolute values and change over time. Each item is rated on a response scale 0 = "not at all" to 3 = "nearly every day" and refer to the time frame "during the past two weeks". Higher scores indicate greater symptom burden.

Frequency of applied targeted molecular therapies based on clinical therapy information from the MURIEL databaseup to 34 months

The frequency of applied targeted molecular therapies is based on clinical therapy information from the MURIEL database.

Cost of implementation related to DigiNet from the service provider perspective (hospital, practices)up to 34 months

Assessing the cost of implementation related to DigiNet from the service provider perspective (hospital, practices) in Euro (€)

Time on First Treatment (ToT)up to 34 months

Duration under first-line therapy will be assessed in months.

Frequency of active contact of the expert advisory board with physicians during the course of treatmentup to 34 months

Assessing the frequency of the expert advisory board actively contacting physicians during the course of treatment

Completeness of the documentation of the treatment courseup to 34 months

Assessing the completeness of the documentation of the treatment course (DigiNet study visits) in %.

Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-LC29)up to 34 months

Quality of Life (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire Lung Cancer, EORTC QLQ-LC29) will be assessed in absolute values and change over time. Each item is rated on a response scale 1 = "not at all" to 4 = "very much" and refer to the time frame "during the past week". All EORTC QLQ-LC29 scale scores range from 0 to 100, whereby higher scores for a symptom scale/symptom item indicate greater symptom burden.

Cost-effectiveness of DigiNet compared to standard care in terms of incremental costs per life years gainedup to 34 months

Assessing the cost-effectiveness of DigiNet compared to standard care in terms of incremental costs per life years gained

Cost-effectiveness of DigiNet compared to standard care in terms of costs per quality-adjusted life year [QALY]up to 34 months

Assessing the cost-effectiveness of DigiNet compared to standard care in terms of costs per quality-adjusted life year \[QALY\]

Formative evaluationup to 34 months

Formative evaluation regarding the implementation will be conducted using qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews

Process costs related to DigiNet from the service provider perspective (hospital, practices)up to 34 months

Assessing the process costs related to DigiNet from the service provider perspective (hospital, practices) in Euro (€)

Trial Locations

Locations (41)

Klinikum Leverkusen

🇩🇪

Leverkusen, NRW, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Würzburg

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Würzburg, Bayern, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Aachen

🇩🇪

Aachen, NRW, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Köln

🇩🇪

Köln, NRW, Germany

Hämatologisch-Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis

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Bad Liebenwerda, Brandenburg, Germany

Onkozentrum Bonn

🇩🇪

Bonn, NRW, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Bonn (UKB)

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Bonn, NRW, Germany

Zentrum für ambulante Hämatologie und Onkologie Rhein-Sieg (ZAHO)

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Brühl, NRW, Germany

Johanniter-Krankenhaus Bonn

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Bonn, NRW, Germany

Gemeinschaftspraxis für Hämatologie & Onkologie

🇩🇪

Dortmund, NRW, Germany

Praxis für Hämatologie und Internistische Onkologie

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Hamm, NRW, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Essen

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Essen, NRW, Germany

MV-Zentrum für Hämatologie und Onkologie

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Köln, NRW, Germany

MVZ West GmbH Standort Köln-Kalk

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Köln, NRW, Germany

Praxis Internistischer Onkologie und Hämatologie (pioh)

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Köln, NRW, Germany

MVZ für Hämatologie und Onkologie

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Mülheim an der Ruhr, NRW, Germany

Onkologie Rheinsieg

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Troisdorf/Bonn-Beuel/Bad Honnef, NRW, Germany

Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH

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Mönchengladbach, NRW, Germany

Krankenhaus Bethanien Solingen

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Solingen, NRW, Germany

Praxis und Tagesklinik für Internistische Onkologie und Hämatologie

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Recklinghausen, NRW, Germany

Onkologie Erzgebirge

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Aue-Bad Schlema, Sachsen, Germany

MVZ Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum am Marien-Hospital Wesel

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Wesel, NRW, Germany

Medizinisches Versorgungzentrum am Evangelischen Krankenhaus Wesel GmbH

🇩🇪

Wesel, NRW, Germany

Fachkrankenhaus Coswig

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Coswig, Sachsen, Germany

Hämatologisch Onkologisches Centrum Ostsachsen ONCOS GmbH

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Bautzen, Sachsen, Germany

Onkozentrum Dresden/Freiberg/Meißen

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Dresden/Freiberg/Meißen, Sachsen, Germany

Gemeinschaftspraxis Dr. med. Johannes Mohm Dr. med. Gabriele Prange-Krex

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Dresden, Sachsen, Germany

Gemeinschaftspraxis Hämatologie - Onkologie

🇩🇪

Dresden, Sachsen, Germany

Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden

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Dresden, Sachsen, Germany

Ambulante Onkologie Ostsachsen

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Zittau, Sachsen, Germany

Helios Klinikum Erfurt

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Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany

Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis Tiergarten

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis Kurfürstendamm

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Praxis am Volkspark

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Evangelische Lungenklinik Berlin

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

DRK Kliniken Berlin Mitte

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Helios Klinikum Emil von Behring

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

Onkologischer Schwerpunkt am Oskar-Helene-Heim

🇩🇪

Berlin, Germany

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